Combined blotter and ruler



(No Model.)

D. C. H. ROSS.

COMBINED BLOTTER AND RULER.

UNITED STATES 4PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID C. H. ROSS, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOVA.

COMBINED BLoTTl-:R AND RULER.

SFECIFI-CATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,079, dated April 5, 1892.

Application filed J une 30,1891. Serial No. 397.985. (No model.) v

To all whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, DAVID C. H. Ross, acitizen of the United States, residing at Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linn and State of Iowa, haveinventedcertain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Blotter and Ruler; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. v

The object of this invention is to produce a ruler for the use of accountants and the like which shall be sufficiently iiexible to conform to the curvature of a book or roll of paper and shall serve as a blotter for the removal of surplus ink.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure l is a plan vieW of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same, and Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are similar views of modified forms of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The invention is of a very simple nature, consisting, essentially, in the formation of a ruler-body of blotting-paper and providing the same with a suitable raised edge of a substance hard enough to serve as a ruler so long as the blotter is in use. v

The construction of the device may be considerably Varied without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will be seen by reference to the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, A represents the body of the ruler, which is to be composed of blotting-paper. On it may be printed a scale, as indicated, if desired, or advertising or other matter, as is commonly done with the blotter in ordinary use. At each side is a stiifened projecting edge a a, which forms the ruler. This edge should be raised somewhat from the bottom of the paper, as shown at the right-hand side of Fig. 2, so as to avoid accidental smearing of the page. The edges o a may be integral parts of the blotting-paper body A, formed by doubly folding the paper, as shown in Fig. 2, in which case the edges are suitably saturated with 5o some hardening substance, as shellac, glue, or the like.

In Figs. 3 and 4 the edge is shown attached to the blotting-paper, in which case it may be of some other substance than paper, 5 5 as metal, hard rubber, Celluloid, or equivalent substance. It is desirable, however, that it should be exible, so as to permit the ruler and also the blotter to conform to the curvature of the book or` paper to which it is ap- 6o plied.

The blotter :is preferably made of a single piece, as in Figs. l, 2, and 3. In the case of a blotter composed of two parts stuck together the edge portion might pass entirely through the blotter portion, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated the device as composed of two pieces of paper offset and stuck together. This iigure may also serve to illus- 7o trate the form of the device as composed of a single piece of thick blotting-paper having the edges offset and stiffened by compress- Ing.

From the nature of the material of which it is made the device is very cheap, a little more expensive, indeed, than a common blotter; but in practice it has been found very convenient, serving perfectly for the double l purpose of ruler, as required in keeping ac- 8ol counts and the like, and blotter for all purposes. From the nature of the case it saves the trouble and annoyance of reaching for a ruler in striking lines or a blotter when the lines or writing have to be dried, and, being comparatively thin, it may be shut up in the book used, and is thus always to be found.

In addition to the conveniences above suggested it is to be noted that the blotting-paper of the body is somewhat adhesive-that 9o is to say, does not slip easily on smooth paper-and this is of advantage in ruling, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. A blotter having one or more of its edges made thinner than the body of the blotter, shellac, glue, or equivalent hardening subxo whereby the said edge is offset so as not to stance. touch the paper beneath, and hardened, as In testmonywhereof I atx my signature in by saturation in shellac, glue, or the like, presence of two Witnesses.

5 whereby it is adapted to serve as a ruler.

2. The described blottel A, doubly folded DAVID C. II. ROSS. longitudinally, with the edges projecting be- Vitn esses: yond the fold a short distance and secured W. I-I. MEYERS,

lo said fold and hardened by saturation in S. W. BRAINERD. 

